Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) expects to begin March 2018 with a 30% production rise, following the opening of a new mill, according to its president Jorge Mendez. Production will increase to 1.4 million bags per month, from 1.1 million bags per month at present. Its market share will increase to 70%-75%, from 51% at present. This is anticipated to add an extra US$50m to the company’s turnover. The new mill is currently 90% complete and has cost the company US$11.5m.

Italy: The Board of Directors of Buzzi has approved the preliminary accounts for 2017, which see sales of cement at 26.8Mt, an increase of 4.4%, and consolidated revenues of Euro2.67bn, an increase of 5.1% year-on-year.

In Italy, Buzzi’s position benefited from the takeover of Zillo Group, which helped to raise clinker and cement volumes by 19.3%. However, average selling prices were down ‘siginificantly’ year-on-year. Overall consolidated sales were up by 14.0% year-on-year at Euro428m. Consolidated sales would have increased by 2% in the absence of the Zillo acquisition.

In Germany, cement sales were up by 4.5%, with total sales of Euro588m, a 2.7% year-on-year rise. In Luxembourg and the Netherlands, cement sales were also up by 4.5% year-on-year at Euro187m.

Sales were also improved in Poland (+0.7%), Czechia (+8.2%), Russia (+1.5%), the USA (+0.2%) and Mexico (12.7%), while they declined in Ukraine (-1.5%).

UAE: Fujairah Cement Industries Co (FCIC) has reported a decline of 9% in its profits for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to the same period a year ago. Earnings decreased to about US$2.7m in the fourth quarter of 2017 from US$3.0m in the fourth quarter of 2016.

During the 2017 fiscal year, the cement producer posted a drop of 35% in its profit to US$10.1m compared to US$15.4m in 2015. This was in part due to a 7% decrease in revenue and higher general and administrative expenses, which rose by 29% to US$6.4m.

UAE: National Cement Company (NCC) has reported a decline in its profit to US$14.59m in the full year 2017 from US$24.24m in 2016. Revenues also fell to US$55.77m from US$64.11m.